For homebuyers or homeowners with student loan debt in an Income Based Repayment (IBR) plan planning to purchase or refinance a home, it’s important to know that the type of mortgage you apply and the type of repayment plan your student loans are set up on can impact qualifying for a mortgage.
For example, the student loan repayment calculation guidelines for Income Based Repayment (IBR), Income Driven (IDR), Graduated, PAYE or REPAYE plan can vary widely depending on if you are apply for Conventional (Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac), FHA, VA, or USDA home.
Currently, there is mass confusion regarding what payment amount should be included in a buyers DTI ratio when student loans are in an Income-Based Repayment (IBR), IDR, Graduated, Adjustable, PAYE, or REPAYE plan.
The primary reasons for so much confusion is from extremely outdated and inaccurate information on the Internet, lender overlays, underwriters interpreting the published rules differently, and Loan Officers not keeping up with the changes.
This article includes the MOST UPDATED mortgage qualifying guidelines for buyers with student loans in some sort of Income Based Repayment Plan (IBR), Income Driven Repayment (IDR) plan, Graduated, PAYE or REPAYE plan.
* Guidelines updated and current on 6/19/2021.
Fannie Mae and IBR Student Loan Guidelines
Fannie Mae is a United States government sponsored entity that securitizes Conventional loans. They create these guidelines that all lenders must comply with.
If Payment Reports on Credit: The reported amount can be used for qualifying purposes. This includes IBR/IDR/PAYE/REPAYE repayment plans.
If No Payment (or $0 payment) Reports on Credit: If deferred or in forbearance, lender must use either 1% of the outstanding student loan balance or a calculated payment that will fully amortize the loan based on the documented loan repayment terms.
Special Note: If a parent, grandparent, relative, fiance/boyfriend/girlfriend has been making the payment on a student loan debt (or any installment debt) for the last 12 months, that payment can be excluded from the applicants DTI ratios. This applies even if the person is not obligated on the student loan or installment debt but cannot be an interested party (seller, Realtor or Lender) to the transaction
Reference: Selling Guide Announcement SEL 2017-04 and Selling Guide B#-06-05
Freddie Mac and IBR Student Loan Guidelines
*Guideline updated August 29th, 2018
Freddie Mac is a United States government sponsored entity that securitizes Conventional loans. They create the guidelines that all lenders must comply with..
If Payment Reports on Credit: If the monthly payment is greater than $0, Freddie Mac will now accept that payment be used when calculating the DTI ratio. This includes all student loans that are either in fully amortized repayment, IBR/IDR/PAYE/REPAYE repayment plans.
If No Payment Reports on Credit: If no payment reports on credit due to student loans being in deferment or in forbearance, lender must use .5% of the outstanding balance as a monthly payment amount.
Reference: Freddie Mac Loan Product Advisor Guideline Matrix
FHA Mortgage and IBR Student Loan Guidelines
If the actual or reported monthly IBR payment is $0, FHA requires lenders use .5% of the student loan balance as a monthly repayment amount for DTI ratio qualifying.
If the actual or reported monthly payment is MORE THAN $0, FHA will allow that amount may be used for DTI ratio qualifying.
If the payment used for the monthly obligation is less than the monthly payment reported on the Borrower’s credit report, the Mortgagee must obtain:
- written documentation of the actual monthly payment,
- the payment status, and
- evidence of the outstanding balance and terms from the creditor or student loan servicer.
FHA HUD 4000.1 manual (994 pages)
VA Mortgage and IBR Student Loan Guidelines
- Lender may use the Income Based Repayment (IBR) payment if it’s verified (including $0.00) that the payment is fixed for a minimum of 12 months from the closing date.
- When the payment is fixed for less than 12 months from the closing date, the lender must use the regularly calculated payment once the IBR ends.
- When no payment is reported or available, the lender must use a payment calculation using 5% of the current balance, divided by 12 (months) as the qualifying payment.
Reference: VA Circular 26-17-02
USDA Mortgage and IBR Student Loan Guidelines
If Payment is Not Fixed: When the documented payment above $0/month, use that amount.
If the documented payment is $0/month (including deferred loans) all lenders must use .5% of the student loan balance for calculation in the DTI ratio.
If Payment is Fixed: The lender may use the fixed payment established on student loans when the lender obtains documentation verifying the payment, interest rate, and loan term will not adjust. The borrower must provide evidence from the student loan servicer that the payment will not change.
Reference: USDA Rural Development (RD) 3555 Handbook
Get the Facts & Know Your Options
Don’t let your agent or mortgage lender’s confusion with student loans in IBR get your loan denied after submitting or wrongly preapproved just because they don’t understand how student loan payments affect qualifying.
Contact me here if you would like to ask a question about how much you will qualify for with your student loan debt, or contact me here to learn more about the various down payment assistance programs you may be eligible for.
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